CHAP. 1. 2. OF CLOUDS. 7 



quently move slowly along from the leeward in 

 a supervening current. I by no means intend, by 

 the above account, to infer that the appearances 

 of the different kinds of cirri, or indeed of any 

 cloud, are ever quite uniform; on the contrary, 

 scarcely two occur exactly alike; and there are 

 many features so various and so mixed, that a 

 particular description of each can scarcely be 

 attempted. In some kinds of weather, the 

 numberless and everchanging figures which this 

 cloud is continually presenting to the eye, baffle 

 all attempt at description. Practical observation 

 affords the only means of becoming acquainted 

 with them. 



The observations of M. Howard, as well as 

 those which I have made since the perusal of his 

 meteorological papers, have induced me to be- 

 lieve, that, under whatever form the curlcloud 

 may appear, it must always be regarded as a 

 conductor of the electric fluid. Its very texture 

 seems indicative of its particular office. The 

 long parallel and elevated lines are probably 

 equalizing the electricity of masses of air very 

 remote from each other. The detached comoid 

 cirri equalizing their own electricity with that of 

 the surrounding air, while oblique or depending 

 tufts appear to be conducting from an upper to 



